X r railway track or switch



(No Model.) i v i DT HMBERLIN. l vRAILWAY TRACKv 0R SWITH.

ATTORNEY Nrrn Srafrns armar CLARK D. CHAMBERLIN, OF CAON CITY, COLORADO.

RAILWAY TRACK OR SWlTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,523, dated November 4, 1884.

Application filed November 19, 1883. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern Be it known that I, CLARK D. CHAMBER- LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Caon City, in the county of Fremont and State of Colorado, have invented certainI new and useful Improvements in Railway Tracks or Switches, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in railway tracks or switches in which provisions are made for carrying the car-wheels over open ings left between the end of rails at switches made necessary by the longitudinal extension ot' rails in warm weather and the contraction of the same in cold weather 5 and the objects of' my improvements are more particularly to provide means by which wider openings may be allowed between the ends ofrails at switch es, and at the same time to carry the car-wheels over such spaces without jarring the cars or the destructive wear on the ends of the rails common to the present method in use. These objects I attainby means of the device illustrated in the accon'ipanying drawings,forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a top view, Fig. 2 an end View, Fig. 3 a side view, and Fig. 4 a top View, ofthe entire track. Fig. 5 is a detailed top view of the bridge-rail; Fig. 6, a detail of the switchbridle; Fig. 7, a side view of the bridge-rail; Fig. 8, a perspective view of the bridge-rail.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The main-line rails A and the side-track rails B are permanently attached to the one side of the switch-chairs E. The latter is provided with slots for the reception of the'switchbridle c, which retains in place and operates the switch-rails A and bridge-rails D.

The bridge-rails are made from any suitable metallic substance, and extend from the ends of the rails A back along the sides of the switch-rails A, to which they are attached loosely by means of the pins or bolts a,which slide in the longitudinal slots j" of the bridgerails. The bridge-rails may be made suffioiently higher than the main rails to meet the tread ofthe car-wheels when the latter are flaring.

The bridge-rails and switch-rails are placed in position by first placing the switch-bridle c in the slots made in the chairs to receive them. The bridge-rails are then placed in the slots c of the switch-bridle c, and the switch-rails A are slid into the slots c beside the bridge-rails D, when the bolt ct may be placed in position, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The bridge-rails D have notches g made in the flange, into which the switch-bridle Vlocks in the manner shown in Figs. l and 4, which prevents the bridge-rails moving endwise, always retaining the bridge-rails in immediate proximity with the main rails A and the siding-rails B. As will be seen by reference to the drawings, this construction will admit of the rails of the track being made sufficiently short to prevent their being forced together by the expansiomwhieh frequently forces the ends of the rails together so tight as to prevent the working of the switches. Should the fiare of the surface of the car-wheels have a 'tendency to force the bridge-rails outward, a bridle-rod, e, may extend from the outside of the bridge-rail at one side to the outside of the `bridge-rail 'at the other side, as shown in Fig. 4f. The bridle-rod would be made to slide in grooves provided in the switch-chairs for that purpose.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, in a railway track or switch, of the bridge-rail D and the switchbridles c and e.

2. The combination, in a railway track or switch, of the bridge-rail D, having a longitudinal slot, f, and notch g therein, the switchchair E, and switch-bridle c, as described.

3. The combination, in a railway track or switch, of the bridge-rail D, having a longitudinal slot,f, and notch g therein, the switchrail A and bolt a and the switch-chair E and 7 switch-bridle c, as set forth.

4. The combination, in a railway track or switch, of the bridge-rail D, having a longitudinal slot, j', and notch g therein, the'rails A B and switch-chair E, the bolt c and switchbridle c, and the rail A, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARK D. CHAMBERL'IN.

Vitnesses:

OWEN MOGARR,

JOHN H. DENrsoN. 

